(VA) Law would stop hubcap spinners

Virginia Gazette ^

[Sir Gawain]

Law would stop hubcap spinners

By Bill Tolbert The Virginia Gazette

Published January 15, 2005

RICHMOND -- If you want rapper Xhibit and his buddies at West Coast Customs to “pimp” your ride with some phat spinning wheels, you better hurry.

Del. Bill Barlow (D-64th) has introduced an arcane bill that would prohibit wheel covers that give the illusion the wheels are moving while the vehicle is sitting still, or that the wheels are sitting still while the vehicle is actually moving.

Barlow addresses the wheel covers in HB 2390. According to the General Assembly website, the bill was awaiting assignment to a committee.

The “spinners,” as they're called, come as part of actual rims or as devices similar to hubcaps. The former can cost $800 to several thousand dollars for a set of four. The hubcap options run in the $50 range.

Spinners operate by ball bearings. As the vehicle picks up speed, the spinners begin to rotate. When the vehicle slows down and stops, the spinners continue for a while because of the ball bearings.

Why would Barlow, a sedate Smithfield attorney who represents Williamsburg and a part of James City, care about spinners?

He said a constituent from Isle of Wight asked him to introduce the bill because he was injured in a motorcycle accident and blamed it on spinners. Barlow said the man told him he was riding along the highway when he noticed a car ready to enter the roadway from the right.

As he got closer to the car, the man said he caught a glimpse of the spinner on the left front wheel and thought the vehicle was pulling out in front of him. The man told Barlow he swerved to avoid what he thought would be a collision and lost control of the cycle. As it turned out, the car was sitting still.

“He went into a skid, put down the motorcycle and sustained injuries,” Barlow explained. “He was very much upset about it.”

Until then, Barlow was unaware of any problems with spinners. He called it an “unusual” issue. “I have no idea how [the bill] will be received,” Barlow said. “It does seem to me it could be a safety concern if you don't know whether another vehicle is moving or not. You need to know that when you're driving.”

He's braced for some blowback. “Anytime you put a ban on something, it's going to be controversial,” Barlow admitted. “But I assume these serve no useful purpose other than appearance. And if they're creating a dangerous situation, maybe we need to look at that.”

[Sir Gawain]

Another Dim busybody. I hate politicians.

[Centurion2000]

Del. Bill Barlow (D-64th) has introduced an arcane bill that would prohibit wheel covers that give the illusion the wheels are moving while the vehicle is sitting still, or that the wheels are sitting still while the vehicle is actually moving.

Such a pressing social issue. I'm glad these dems are there to protect us ...

They really need to get off the planet.

[Obadiah]

Wouldn't ever have these on my SUV, but why in the blue thunder does this need to be legislated? Do these jokers do nothing but sit around in their office and think of new ways to restrict freedom in America!

[Moose4]

My tax dollars at work. Sheesh. Oh, and he's a lawyer, imagine that. The stupid things people want to pass laws over nowadays.

Wait, he's a Democrat, isn't this being racist, going after the bling-bling rollin-on-dubs contingent like this? Shouldn't he be all tolerant and sensitive and stuff?

}:-)4

[general_re]

Thank goodness we've got that big surplus, to fund the hubcap patrols. Sheesh.

[DTogo]

It'll get overturned by the ACLU as a "racist" law.

[bigfootbob]

What about the stoopid rider? Probably riding a Vespa.

[John Lenin]

We really need to stop electing lawyers before it's illegal to breath the air without a mask on.

[MarineBrat]

I've been wondering when this was coming. Creating an illusion for other drivers as to what your vehicle is doing is a dumb idea.

[k2blader]

“But I assume these serve no useful purpose other than appearance. And if they're creating a dangerous situation, maybe we need to look at that.”

Does Barlow know how many things this can be said about???

[Terabitten]

Someone should remind Delegate Barlow that you can't (and shouldn't) legislate against stupidity.

[Rca2000]

I don't like those spinners, either. BUT, the government has no business outlawing them-- just another incident of the "camels nose under the tent", to me.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Some idiot looks at the wheels of a vehicle instead of the (LARGE, MASSIVE STEEL CONSTRUCT STANDING STILL AT THE STOP) and because he can't perceive the (LARGE, MASSIVE STEEL CONSTRUCT STANDING STILL AT THE STOP) isn't moving, he crashes his bike?

This isn't about wheel spinners, it's about situational awareness, and the grease spots inability to maintain it.

You just can't make this kind of thing up.

[ValerieUSA]

Every time I see those spinners I think, "Why, there oughta be a law!"
NOT

I think they're fun. I can't afford them, but I enjoy watching them -- free entertainment for the rest of us after the dummy behind the wheel spends his fortune on spinners he can't even see.

[wolfpat]

I agree, I don't like them either. And I must admit that I almost made the same mistake as the motorcycle rider in the story. But I blamed it on me being stupid and not paying proper attention.

[muir_redwoods]

You mean to tell me stupid people have more accidents? Amazing!

[kevkrom]

This looks like creating a mountain out of a molehill, but do stop to consider the implications... what if I chose to "trick out" my car so that it has a steady flashing orange light on either side near the hood? Would this not be considered dangerously misleading and distracting, since many drivers would see that as a turn signal?

The problem, of course, is where do you draw the line? The issue with "spinner" wheels is that they can pose a danger by screwing up other driver's visual cues. Is the danger enough to warrant a nanny state intrusion? Probably not. But this isn't as much of a joke as it might appear on the surface...

[sgtbono2002]

These things dont need to be outlawed, the law should read anybody fool enough to buy them is too stupid to be driving.

[Tijeras_Slim]

First time I saw these things I was on my bike, it startled me for a moment, but the pimpy decor of the vehicle tipped me off.

[Jaysun]

What a nonsensical waste of time. There are more important matters, like mandating that my patented nicotine suppositories be used in public to avoid the "dangers" of secondhand smoke. I don't know why I can't sell these things. It seemed like such a great idea at the time.

[Cogadh na Sith]

As he got closer to the car, the man said he caught a glimpse of the spinner on the left front wheel and thought the vehicle was pulling out in front of him. The man told Barlow he swerved to avoid what he thought would be a collision and lost control of the cycle. As it turned out, the car was sitting still.

Y'know, that damned near happened to me on my motorcycle. I flinched and grabbed a little bit of brakes, but I didn't lay it down ferchrissakes....

[southernnorthcarolina]

Virginia already bans radar detectors. So banning spinners would fit in with their control freak mentality.

I find spinners extraordinarily tacky, but banning them is overreaching. And as far as concerns about vehicles giving the impression that they're moving when they're actually stationary are concerned, I can think of quite a few Porsches and Ferraris which look like they're going 100 when they're parked. Should they be banned too?

[Publius6961]

Bad taste is a crime now in VA?

What's the definition of "mixed feelings"?

[umgud]

Ferrari's look fast sitting still. Should we ban them?

[Luddite Patent Counsel]

Have you ever been sitting on a train in the station, waiting to leave, and the train next to you starts moving, but your train is still just sitting there, and you only see it out of the corner of your eye, and it feels like YOUR train is the one that's moving, and then you look up, and then you realize that your train isn't really moving at all, and it kind of makes you dizzy, because your brain told your body that it was moving but it wasn't, and then you feel woozy?
I hope they outlaw that next.

Morons!

[reagan_fanatic]

Some idiot in Iowa has proposed the same thing...

Click here

[Junior]

They really need to get off the planet.

Screw them! I need to get off this planet. I've been stuck here way too long.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Ferraris look fast sitting still. Should we ban them?

Ha. Beat you to it.

[KarlInOhio]

what if I chose to "trick out" my car so that it has a steady flashing orange light on either side near the hood?

I was thinking of tricking mine out with flashing blue and red lights on top.

Another law from the Nanny State.

[Luddite Patent Counsel]

At the other end of the spectrum, my '51 Plymouth looks like it's sitting still when it's going 60. I should be worried.

[Beelzebubba]

I am about as anti-government-regulation as they come, but this doesn't bother me. The first time I saw these, I had an "oh s***" moment when I thought a vehicle was moving.

A rotating wheel is readily noticed to indicate movement, compared to a large, slow moving vehicle, especially when viewed from a moving vehicle that causes stationary objects to appear to be moving with respect to each other.

This is one area where government does not do an adequate job. They wrote speeding tickets for traveling at sensible speeds, but allow modifications of street vehicles that put bumpers at chin level. They fail to enforce noise laws against deafening stereos, and they ignore those who deliberately remove muffler function from their Harleys.

All vehicles on public roads should be forced to meet reasonable standards, or pay a stiff cost to internalize the external cost of their choices.

[TexasCajun]

'Rat Lawyer, of course!

[KarlInOhio]

and the train next to you starts moving, but your train is still just sitting there, and you only see it out of the corner of your eye, and it feels like YOUR train is the one that's moving,

When I was a teenager we did something similar a few times. We would get two cars on opposite sides of someone at a traffic light. We would then both back up slowly and watch the person try to hit their brakes harder to keep from "rolling into the intersection". Ah, the fun of being a teenager with a car.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

It'll get overturned by the ACLU as a "racist" law.

Actually it won't because a Dem is sponsoring it.

Where's the NAACP at? Where's Dr. Dre and his homies?

[steveo]

The first clue you can have of a vehicle moving from a stopped position is to view the wheel. You'll perceive that movement faster than viewing the entire vehicle. Try it. It can be important in certain circumstances.

Similar to many who state that led stoplights let the trailing driver react much faster to a panic stop than standard incandescent bulbs.

[Beelzebubba]

When I was a teenager we did something similar a few times. We would get two cars on opposite sides of someone at a traffic light. We would then both back up slowly and watch the person try to hit their brakes harder to keep from "rolling into the intersection". Ah, the fun of being a teenager with a car.

---

You mean that deceptive visual signals can cause a person to take panicked actions to try to control a multi-ton vhicle?

That sounds like a recipe for safe public roads.

(I think that might be the point of this proposed ban.)

[spokeshave]

My vote and sympahies go with the biker

[null and void]

A couple come to mind...

[Beelzebubba]

Similar to many who state that led stoplights let the trailing driver react much faster to a panic stop than standard incandescent bulbs.

---

Even a tenth of a second can make a difference. That's a foot of travel at highway speeds, and many of us have avoided rear-enders by less than a foot.

[manic4organic]

I'd rather they stop the annoying bass speakers that are everywhere. Those are intrusive and should fall under a noise ordinance. At least with "rims" you can look away from the idiot that spent $3000 for wheels to fit a $500 car.

[spokeshave]

"Creating an illusion for other drivers as to what your vehicle is doing is a dumb idea."

Ha..........those wheelie spinners thingies will make radar speed detectors read high..............

[k2blader]

You need to expand your imagination. :-)

[don-o]

I have not had the experience with the spinners; but I was taught in driver's ed, amny moons ago, to focus on the wheel of a car in an intersection as you approach it. And that is what I do. I think the theory is that it is easier to discern movement when ones focus is localized there, as opposed to having it confused by other movements if you try to judge by say, the headlights.

IMO. this is a legitimate area for legislation for the sake of public safety.

[chainsaw]

The democrats are out of step, not only with the country, but with the world. They are digging themselves an early grave politically.

It was reported that every major newspaper in the world praised President Bush for his success in Iraq. But not the American liberal press, and not the liberal American democrats. They are becoming the irrelevant party in the eyes of the world.

[doctor noe]

If they banned these wheel covers in California, there'd probably be a major riot.

[Luddite Patent Counsel]

60 miles per hour = 88 feet per second, so 1/10th of a second would be 8.8 feet. It's worse than you thought.

[spokeshave]

"When I was a teenager we did something similar a few times. We would get two cars on opposite sides of someone at a traffic light. We would then both back up slowly and watch the person try to hit their brakes harder to keep from "rolling into the intersection". Ah, the fun of being a teenager with a car. "

In Athens and Rome a good trick several cars back from the lights is to blast the horn just before the lights turn green..........often can fake someone into hitting the gas pedal a bit too early.

[umgud]

Ha. Beat you to it.

Yup...... great minds think alike.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Don't think My '51 Cranbrook would run 60! It would have slung out all the boots in the tires. I think I must have been at least 21 before I knew tires are supposed to have treads!

[Dr.Zoidberg]

I ride and I know exactly what to look for when on my bike.

Maybe it's just me, but I have no problem discerning the movement of a vehicle (of just miniscule amount) without trying to detect the motion of a wheel.

34 years old, been riding since I was 18 and have never had an accident. Currently own a 1977 Honda 750 and am looking forward to getting it out of the garage when the weather breaks.

Banning spinners isn't going to make anyone any safer. Just more feel good legislation from a kneejerk politico.